Robert Taylor

Biography

Robert Taylor was an American screen actor and singer who ranked among the film industry's most popular leading men. Born in Filley, Nebraska, he signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1934, made his film debut that year in Handy Andy, and took his first leading role in Magnificent Obsession (1935). His following grew through Camille (1936), Waterloo Bridge (1940), and Bataan (1943), while he later headed epics such as Quo Vadis (1951) and Ivanhoe (1952), which was a critical and financial success; Knights of the Round Table (1953) followed. He won the 1953 Golden Globe as World Film Favorite, Male, tied with Alan Ladd. By the mid-1950s he concentrated on westerns, including The Law and Jake Wade (1958), and formed Robert Taylor Productions for The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor, which ran from 1959 to 1962. He also hosted Death Valley Days from 1966 until his death in 1969, and appeared in The Night Walker (1964).

57years old at death

Born August 5, 1911Filley
Died June 8, 1969Santa Monica
Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
Spangler Arlington Brugh Taylor. (birth name)Also credited as Spangler Arlington Taylor

Movie Career

Films: 31
Career span: 41 years1935 to 1976

Genres

Drama65%, 20 films
Western32%, 10 films
Romance29%, 9 films
Comedy13%, 4 films
Crime13%, 4 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

A first
Taylor was the last major star still under contract from MGM's heyday when his long tenure at the studio ended in 1959.
Early training
Taylor trained with Neely Dickson at the Hollywood Community Theater, who recalled him as raw but sincere and wholly unaffected when he first came to her.
Behind the camera
Robert Taylor Productions was the company Taylor started, and he took a starring role in The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor, a television series that ran from 1959 to 1962.
Behind the award
Robert Taylor was given the 1953 World Film Favorite award at the Golden Globes, and he tied with Alan Ladd for it.

Robert Taylor movies on Netflix

That's Entertainment, Part II1976IMDb rating 7.3
Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows1968IMDb rating 6.4as Mr. Farriday: The 'In' Group
Return of the Gunfighter1966IMDb rating 6.5as Ben Wyatt
The Night Walker1964IMDb rating 6.3as Barry Moreland
Miracle of the White Stallions1963IMDb rating 6.5as Col. Podhajsky
The Hangman1959IMDb rating 6.6as Mackenzie Bovard
Party Girl1958IMDb rating 7.0as Tommy Farrell
Saddle the Wind1958IMDb rating 6.6as Steve Sinclair
The Law and Jake Wade1958IMDb rating 6.8as Jake Wade
D-Day the Sixth of June1956IMDb rating 5.9as Capt. Brad Parker
The Last Hunt1956IMDb rating 6.8as Charlie Gilson
Many Rivers to Cross1955IMDb rating 6.2as Bushrod Gentry
I Love Melvin1953IMDb rating 6.6as Robert Taylor-Cameo Appearance in Judy's Dream
Knights of the Round Table1953IMDb rating 6.2as Lancelot
Ride, Vaquero!1953IMDb rating 6.1as Rio
Ivanhoe1952IMDb rating 6.7as Ivanhoe
Quo Vadis1951IMDb rating 7.1as Marcus Vinicius
Westward the Women1951IMDb rating 7.6as Buck Wyatt
Devil's Doorway1950IMDb rating 7.2as Lance Poole
The Bribe1949IMDb rating 6.6as Rigby
High Wall1947IMDb rating 6.9as Steven Kenet
Undercurrent1946IMDb rating 6.5as Alan Garroway
Bataan1943IMDb rating 7.0as Sgt. Bill Dane
Billy the Kid1941IMDb rating 5.7as Billy Bonney
Johnny Eager1941IMDb rating 7.1as Johnny Eager
Waterloo Bridge1940IMDb rating 7.7as Roy Cronin
Lady of the Tropics1939IMDb rating 6.1as Bill Carey
Three Comrades1938IMDb rating 7.1as Erich Lohkamp
Camille1936IMDb rating 7.3as Armand Duval
Broadway Melody of 19361935IMDb rating 6.7as Robert Gordon
Magnificent Obsession1935IMDb rating 6.8as Dr. Robert Merrick

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Quo Vadis1951 Biography, Drama, History, Romanceas Marcus Vinicius
IMDb rating 7.119K votes
Ivanhoe1952 Adventure, Drama, Historyas Ivanhoe
IMDb rating 6.711K votes
Waterloo Bridge1940as Roy Cronin
IMDb rating 7.712K votes
Camille1936as Armand Duval
IMDb rating 7.39.6K votes
Knights of the Round Table1953as Lancelot
IMDb rating 6.24.5K votes
Westward the Women1951as Buck Wyatt
IMDb rating 7.64.5K votes
Party Girl1958as Tommy Farrell
IMDb rating 7.04.2K votes
Johnny Eager1941as Johnny Eager
IMDb rating 7.13.9K votes

Most often with

Mervyn LeRoy directed three of these films, Anthony Mann two and Richard Thorpe two. Three actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Ava Gardner

Felix Aylmer

Henry Wills

Henry O'Neill

Stanley Andrews

Lloyd NolanMervyn LeRoyDirector, 3 films Anthony MannDirector, 2 films Richard ThorpeDirector, 2 films

Films together

Ava Gardner3 films together, 1949 to 1953
Ava Gardner's page
- Knights of the Round Table1953IMDb rating 6.2Taylor as LancelotGardner as Guinevere
- Ride, Vaquero!1953IMDb rating 6.1Taylor as RioGardner as Cordelia Cameron
- The Bribe1949IMDb rating 6.6Taylor as RigbyGardner as Elizabeth Hintten
Felix Aylmer3 films together, 1951 to 1953
Felix Aylmer's page
- Knights of the Round Table1953IMDb rating 6.2Taylor as LancelotAylmer as Merlin
- Ivanhoe1952IMDb rating 6.7Taylor as IvanhoeAylmer as Isaac
- Quo Vadis1951IMDb rating 7.1Taylor as Marcus ViniciusAylmer as Plautius
Henry Wills3 films together, 1958 to 1966
Henry Wills's page
- Return of the Gunfighter1966IMDb rating 6.5Taylor as Ben WyattWills as Sam Boone
- Saddle the Wind1958IMDb rating 6.6Taylor as Steve SinclairWills as Cowboy
- The Law and Jake Wade1958IMDb rating 6.8Taylor as Jake Wade
Henry O'Neill2 films together, 1941
Henry O'Neill's page
- Billy the Kid1941IMDb rating 5.7Taylor as Billy BonneyO'Neill as Tim Ward
- Johnny Eager1941IMDb rating 7.1Taylor as Johnny EagerO'Neill as Mr. Verne
Stanley Andrews2 films together, 1938 to 1953
Stanley Andrews's page
- Ride, Vaquero!1953IMDb rating 6.1Taylor as RioAndrews as General Sheridan
- Three Comrades1938IMDb rating 7.1Taylor as Erich LohkampAndrews as Officer giving toast
Lloyd Nolan2 films together, 1943 to 1956
Lloyd Nolan's page
- The Last Hunt1956IMDb rating 6.8Taylor as Charlie GilsonNolan as Woodfoot
- Bataan1943IMDb rating 7.0Taylor as Sgt. Bill DaneNolan as Cpl. Barney Todd
Mervyn LeRoyDirector, 3 films, 1940 to 1951
All films by Mervyn LeRoy
- Quo Vadis1951IMDb rating 7.1Taylor as Marcus Vinicius
- Johnny Eager1941IMDb rating 7.1Taylor as Johnny Eager
- Waterloo Bridge1940IMDb rating 7.7Taylor as Roy Cronin
Anthony MannDirector, 2 films, 1950 to 1951
All films by Anthony Mann
- Quo Vadis1951IMDb rating 7.1Taylor as Marcus Vinicius
- Devil's Doorway1950IMDb rating 7.2Taylor as Lance Poole
Richard ThorpeDirector, 2 films, 1952 to 1953
All films by Richard Thorpe
- Knights of the Round Table1953IMDb rating 6.2Taylor as Lancelot
- Ivanhoe1952IMDb rating 6.7Taylor as Ivanhoe
Also two films together22 more actors
- Rhys WilliamsMany Rivers to Cross (1955) and Devil's Doorway (1950)
- Russ TamblynThe Last Hunt (1956) and Many Rivers to Cross (1955)
- Charles TrowbridgeUndercurrent (1946) and Lady of the Tropics (1939)
- Finlay CurrieIvanhoe (1952) and Quo Vadis (1951)
- James WesterfieldThe Hangman (1959) and Undercurrent (1946)
- Marjorie MainUndercurrent (1946) and Three Comrades (1938)
- Una MerkelI Love Melvin (1953) and Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935)
- William BaileyDevil's Doorway (1950) and Undercurrent (1946)
- Cy KendallBilly the Kid (1941) and Johnny Eager (1941)
- Dana WynterD-Day the Sixth of June (1956) and Knights of the Round Table (1953)
- Margaret BertParty Girl (1958) and I Love Melvin (1953)
- Richard CollierThe Hangman (1959) and I Love Melvin (1953)
- Nacho GalindoSaddle the Wind (1958) and The Bribe (1949)
- Valentine DyallKnights of the Round Table (1953) and Ivanhoe (1952)
- Patricia OwensThe Law and Jake Wade (1958) and Knights of the Round Table (1953)
- Ralph MoodyThe Last Hunt (1956) and Many Rivers to Cross (1955)
- Barry NelsonBataan (1943) and Johnny Eager (1941)
- Norman WoolandIvanhoe (1952) and Quo Vadis (1951)
- Ted AdamsWestward the Women (1951) and Billy the Kid (1941)
- Eleanor PowellThat's Entertainment, Part II (1976) and Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935)
- John RuddockIvanhoe (1952) and Quo Vadis (1951)
- Carl PittiMany Rivers to Cross (1955) and Westward the Women (1951)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Robert Taylor's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$48.1 million

8 of the 31 films have a worldwide figure.

8Worldwide figure
1US gross only
22Figure not found

Top grosser

Quo Vadis1951Marcus Vinicius$21.0 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Quo Vadis1951as Marcus Vinicius
$21M43.7% of the total
2
Ivanhoe1952as Ivanhoe
$11M22.6% of the total
3
That's Entertainment, Part II1976
$5.0M10.4% of the total
4
Undercurrent1946as Alan Garroway
$4.3M9.0% of the total
5
Waterloo Bridge1940as Roy Cronin
$2.5M5.2% of the total
6
Party Girl1958as Tommy Farrell
$2.4M4.9% of the total
7
I Love Melvin1953as Robert Taylor-Cameo Appearance in Judy's Dream
$1.0M2.1% of the total
8
The Hangman1959as Mackenzie Bovard
$1.0M2.1% of the total